Merck and Guardant Health announced a multi‑year collaboration to develop and commercialize companion diagnostics using Guardant’s liquid and tissue biopsy assays to help enroll patients in Merck’s global clinical programs. The partnership aims to streamline patient identification and expand trial access by integrating genomic testing into trial workflows. Under the agreement, Guardant’s portfolio will be applied to Merck’s biomarker‑driven oncology studies, enabling prospective patient screening and MRD monitoring where appropriate. Both companies emphasized the goal of harmonizing assay standards and clinical connectivity to accelerate enrollment and regulatory acceptance. The deal reflects continuing convergence between therapeutics and diagnostics: pharma companies increasingly seek validated, scalable assays to derisk precision‑medicine trials and optimize patient selection.